Looking for a Pulse at the Newark Museum of Art

I hadn’t visited the distinguished Newark Museum of Art in a few years but knew that it had decided to start championing the Oppression Olympics. I also knew it had chosen to sell $5.9 million in art at Sotheby’s in 2021 to balance its budget. While in Montclair, next to Newark, I decided to give the place a look. “How bad could it be?” I thought — always an optimist. “Could be worse,” it seemed to me after my visit. The museum might not be just another one of those slippery slopes to despair — the curatorial vision is awful — but it’s probably not on a Matterhorn descent to disaster. It’s getting a new director, and the place seems financially stable for once. But, alas, the board seems happy to make the museum into a community center specializing in grievance and grudges.

First, Newark’s unusual founding philosophy. It was founded by John Cotton Dana, the longtime chief of Newark’s public library system. Just as Dana had opted for open stacks and both-sides-of-the-issue reading materials to democratize libraries, he wanted, for the museum, a broad-based collection of art, material culture, history, technology, and science. He aimed to promote self-enrichment through curiosity and self-improvement, with variety and liveliness to keep the place from ever looking like a tomb.

About the Author

Brian T. Allen

Brian T. Allen is National Review’s art critic.

Featured Tags

I hadn’t visited the distinguished Newark Museum of Art in a few years but knew that it had decided to start championing the Oppression Olympics. I also knew it had chosen to sell $5.9 million in art at Sotheby’s in 2021 to balance its budget. While in Montclair, next to Newark, I decided to give the place a look. “How bad could it be?” I thought — always an optimist. “Could be worse,” it seemed to me after my visit. The museum might not be just another one of those slippery slopes to despair — the curatorial vision is awful — but it’s probably not on a Matterhorn descent to disaster. It’s getting a new director, and the place seems financially stable for once. But, alas, the board seems happy to make the museum into a community center specializing in grievance and grudges.

First, Newark’s unusual founding philosophy. It was founded by John Cotton Dana, the longtime chief of Newark’s public library system. Just as Dana had opted for open stacks and both-sides-of-the-issue reading materials to democratize libraries, he wanted, for the museum, a broad-based collection of art, material culture, history, technology, and science. He aimed to promote self-enrichment through curiosity and self-improvement, with variety and liveliness to keep the place from ever looking like a tomb.